Improvement in cultivators



G. W. RHODES.

CULTIVATOR.

I Io.179,220. Patented June 27,1876.

NPETERS, PNOTO-UTIOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D r:v

Urtrrnn STATES PATENT DFFIOE.

GEORGE W. RHODES, OF ETNA, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT I N CULTIVATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 179,220, dated June 27,1876; application filed June 14,1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. RHODES, of Etna, in the county of Tompkinsand State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Cultivators; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,'referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention consists in pro-' viding a self-adjustingattachment to a cultivator, whereby it is raised fromthe ground orfolded at any time, enabling the operator to turn it safely at the endsof the rows without injury to the plants, or to easily transport it fromplace to place.

' In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top or plan View of my cultivator. Fig.2 is a side elevation.

A represents the longitudinal pieces of frame; B, cross-sills unitingthe pieces A, and to which the teeth are attached. 0 represents theteeth. D is the handle or lever; E, brace from tongue to handle orlever. F is the tongue and G block, for connecting brace with tongue; H,roller to tongue; I, pin in lever for holding brace; K, wheels.

The frame of my cultivator is constructed by uniting the longitudinalpieces A by thecross-sills B, to which the teeth are attached, and thenumber of cross-sills correspond with the number of teeth employed.

This cultivator is intended to be operated by two horses, and isdesigned to cultivate both sides of a row at once; and in thearrangement of the teeth the two center ones, or the ones designed torun nearest the row, are preferably placed in front, each alternatetooth being placed on the opposite end of a cross-sill. The teeth arealso improved by extending the base an inch or more beyond'the standardin front, so that both the toe and heel project, and they are heldfirmly in place by slight projections on their upper side, which are letinto the Wood of the frame.

On each end of the front longitudinal piece A is fixed an axle or arbor,upon which wheels hinge. I do not, however, confine myself to thisconstruction. Any other suitable hinge which will accomplish the samepurpose may be employed. These hinges are directly over and nearly on aline with the points of the front teeth, and at a short distance in rearof theline of the wheels K.

By this arrangement the resistance of the front teeth, operating inconnection with the draft of the team, causes the cultivator to tiltforward and rest upon the wheels. In order to provide against thetilting motion and keep the teeth in the ground when the cultivator isin operation, a brace, E, is employed, which extends from the tongueover the handle or lever D. This brace consists of two straight orcurved pieces, so joined that a space is left between-them, throughwhich the handle or lever passes, and its end is pivoted to the block Gon the tongue, at a distance of about two feet in front of thecultivator. This brace may be constructed of woodor iron, as deemedadvisable. When the cultivator is in position to be operated this braceextends over the handle or lever, and is held in place by a pin, I,through the lever, which engages in a notch, J, on the under side of thebrace. A corresponding notch, J, at some distance in front of the first,is also provided, so that when the end of the row is reached, and it isdesired to turn without danger of the teeth tearing out the plants, thebrace E is disengaged from the pin I by a slight movement, and the draftof the team, operating in connection with the resis'tance of the frontteeth, at once tilts the cultivator, and throws it forward on the frontwheels, in which position it is securely held by the notch J of thebrace E, which drops over the'pin I. It then rests upon the wheels,

and may be readily and easily turned or transported from the field. Itis easily thrown back into position by a slight backward movement of theteam, or by the hand after disengaging the pin from the notch J.

I am aware that a cultivator provided with a tongue, wheels, andstay-bar or brace, and arranged to tilt forward, so that the teeth arelifted from the ground, substantially-as shown in the patent, No.102,201,0f0. Alvord. has been heretofore used, and is not new, and I donot claim this principle, broadly.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent,

In a cultivator, the arrangement of the different parts, consisting ofthe frame A B, thetongue F, having the roller H, the wheels K,

